The Ballon d’Or Award, organized by France Football, is one of the most prestigious individual honors in world football. Awarded annually to the player deemed the best over the previous season, it has crowned the game’s greatest talents since its inception.
History of the Ballon d’Or
First awarded in 1956, the Ballon d’Or was initially exclusive to European players, limiting the competition to the continent’s best. In 1995, the criteria expanded to include players of any nationality playing in European clubs, broadening its scope significantly.
Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year, creating the FIFA Ballon d’Or. However, in 2016, France Football regained full control and returned to its traditional format.
Let’s look at the Ballon d’Or winners full list.
Complete List of Ballon d’Or Winners (1956–2024)
| Year | Winner |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stéfano |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stéfano |
| 1960 | Luis Suárez |
| 1961 | Omar Sívori |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin |
| 1964 | Denis Law |
| 1965 | Eusébio |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton |
| 1967 | Flórián Albert |
| 1968 | George Best |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi |
| 1983 | Michel Platini |
| 1984 | Michel Platini |
| 1985 | Michel Platini |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov |
| 1995 | George Weah |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer |
| 1997 | Ronaldo |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane |
| 1999 | Rivaldo |
| 2000 | Luís Figo |
| 2001 | Michael Owen |
| 2002 | Ronaldo |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedvěd |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro |
| 2007 | Kaká |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi |
| 2020 | Not awarded |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi |
| 2024 | Rodri |
Ballon d’Or Records & Notable Facts
- Most Ballon d’Or Wins: Lionel Messi – 8 titles (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023)
- Most Consecutive Wins: Lionel Messi – 4 consecutive (2009–2012)
- Most Wins by a Club:
- Real Madrid – 12 wins
- Barcelona – 12 wins
- Juventus & Milan – 8 wins each
- Most Wins by a Country:
- Argentina – 8 wins (all by Lionel Messi)
- France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal – 7 wins each
Voting System
A panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries determines the Ballon d’Or winner. Each journalist selects their top five players, awarding points based on ranking. The player with the highest total points wins the award.
2024 Ballon d’Or Winner
In 2024, Rodri of Manchester City clinched his first Ballon d’Or, beating Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Rodri’s stellar performances in Manchester City’s treble-winning season solidified his status as the world’s top midfielder.
Check out the Bundesliga Winners List and other football updates on Dailyfutbol.com for more football history and news.
